Apparatus for finishing concrete surfaces

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for finishing the surface of concrete pavements which includes a frame means provided with rotatably mounted wheels adapted to ride along the forms used in concrete paving construction. The frame means includes a plurality of brushlike or bristled finishing members flexibly connected thereto for limited vertical movement responsive to the contour of the pavement being finished and adapted to impart upon the surface of the pavement a plurality longitudinal grooves of relatively uniform depth.

United States Patent Mason Eugene Jones Columbus, Ohio 791,068

Jan. 14, 1969 Aug. 3, 1971 Mason E. Jones, Inc. Columbus, Ohio InventorAppl. No. Filed Patented Assignee APPARATUS FOR FINISHING CONCRETESURFACES 4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

us. Cl 94/45 rm. Cl E01c 23/08 Field of Search 15/49, 78,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1928 Shaw 15/78 2,962,94612/1960 Neff 94/44 FOREIGN PATENTS 8,620 4/1907 Great Britain 94/44434,146 811935 Great Britain 94/44 588,858 5/1925 France 94/44 PrimaryExaminer-Jacob L. Nackenofi" Anomey Francis T. Kremblas, Jr.

ABSTRACT: An apparatus for finishing the surface of concrete pavementswhich includes a frame means provided with rotatably mounted wheelsadapted to ride along the forms used in concrete paving construction.The frame means includes a plurality of brushlike or bristled finishingmembers flexibly connected thereto for limited vertical movementresponsive to the contour of the pavement being finished and adapted toimpart upon the surface of the pavement a plurality longitudinal groovesof relatively uniform depth.

PATENTEU Am; 3:971

SHEET 2 OF 2 INVENTOR. E. J ONES A TTORNEY APPARATUS FOR FINISHINGCONCRETE SURFACES The present invention relates generally to apparatusfor finishing the surface of a concrete road pavement and particularlyto an improved apparatus for finishing concrete road pavements.

In general the apparatus of the present invention comprises a pluralityof brushlike finishing members disposed in adjacent relationship to oneanother to span the width of a road pavement. The finishing members areconnected to a suitable supporting means for limited vertical movementresponsive to the contour of the pavement. When the members engage thesurface of the pavement and are moved in a longitudinal directionrelative to the length of the pavement, they impart a texture in theform of a plurality of longitudinal grooves of predetermined depth.

The great expansion of both federal and state high-speed highway systemsand the resulting increase of trafiic has raised a serious safetyproblem that has plagued designers and contractors alike.

Studies have indicated that one of the causes of a substantial number ofaccidents if the low frictional gripping between vehicle tires and theroad surface, particularly when wet, because of the smoothness of thesurface.

Of course, texturing the surface during the concrete finishing processis one of the answers to this problem, but the technique and equipmentto accomplish this has heretofore been less than desirable. One of theobvious limiting factors in accomplishing a desirable result in surfacefinishing to solve this problem is the cost involved and the particularcircumstances and dimensions of modern highways. Further, the surfaceroughness is limited by the factor of affording reasonable comfort tovehicle passengers and complicated by the knowledge that some textureswear rapidly and soon reach a hazardous state due to the wear of thetremendous volume of vehicular traffic.

As one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for finishing aconcrete road surface is provided which imparts a plurality oflongitudinally extending grooves of predetermined depth to the roadsurface which increases the coefficient of friction between the vehicletire and the road surface while keeping any discomfort to vehiclepassengers at a minimum.

As another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus of the typedescribed permits the surface of the road to be textured in a relativelyeasy manner with no substantial delay in the construction process.

As another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for finishing aconcrete road surface is provided which includes a plurality of novelbrushlike members which ride freely over the surface of the freshlypoured concrete with each of the members being independently responsiveto minor undulations in the surface to ensure a more uniform surfacefinish.

As another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for finishing aconcrete road surface is provided which may be easily adapted to operateupon roads of any width which applies a desirable roughened finish to alarge surface area in a relatively fast and easy manner.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide anapparatus of the type described which applies a desirable texture toconcrete road surfaces in an efficient, labor-saving manner whichsubstantially increases the traction between the road surface andvehicle tires.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the invention isclearly shown.

IN THE DRAWINGS P16. 1 is top plan view of an apparatus for finishingconcrete road pavements constructed in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial perspective view of a portion of theapparatus shown in FIG. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings, an apparatus for finishing concreteroad pavements constructed in accordance with the present invention isillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and includes a supporting means in the formof a frame, indicated generally at 20.

Frame 20 includes a pair of lower longitudinal support members 22,lateral support members 24, an upper longitudinal support member 26 andtruss members 28.

A pair of wheels 30 are rotatably mounted on each outer end of frame 20and each wheel includes a flange plate 32. Wheels 30 are adapted to rideon the outer pavement forms 34 of a roadbed 36 and flange plates 32limit inward movement of each wheel 30 to keep wheels 30 on the railformed by forms 34.

A handle means is mounted on each end of support members 26 to permitthe frame to be manually pulled in a longitudinal direction along theleng'thof the'roadbed 36.

A plurality of brushlike finishing members 38 are flexibly connected inadjacent relationship to one another to the rear lower support member22,by means of flexible drag means connecting chains 40. Each chain 40 issecured-to support member 22 and a respective one of finishing members38. The projections or bristles 39 of each finishing members arepreferably relatively flexible.

It has been found that the heads of conventional industrialtype broomsperform in an excellent manner, however, other means could be used whichperform in a similar manner to impart a desirable surface texturewithout departing from the spirit of the present invention.

The length of each connecting chain 40 is preferably adapted to permiteach finishing member 38 to rest on the surface of the concrete pavement36 independent of the weight of the frame 20 and further to permit alimited degree of vertical movement responsive to the minor undulationsof the level of the surface of pavement 36. In this manner, upon forwardmovement of frame 20 along the roadbed 36, the brushlike finishingmembers 38 are dragged across the surface of pavement 38 and the loweredges of bristles 39 imparting longitudinal grooves in the surface ofthe pavement.

it should be noted that the backboard or supporting base of members 38in which the upper ends of bristles 39 are attached must be suspendedabove the pavement surface when frame 20 is moving in a forwarddirection to assure that only the bristles 39 engage the pavementsurface to provide the most desirable results. As seen in H0. 2, theamount of clearance between the lower end of the backboard-carryingbristles 39 and the pavement need not be great, as long as the backboarditself is not gouging the pavement surface when members 38 are beingdragged.

It is important to point out that other means could be used to flexiblyconnect finishing members 38 to the frame 20 without departing from thespirit of the present invention.

In operation, the apparatus of the present invention is positioned withwheels 30 on the pavement forms 34 and located at some distance behindthe paving machine which pours the concrete forming the road pavement36. This distance depends upon the hardening time of the particularconcrete mixture.

it is important that the concrete is not too firm to prevent thebrushlike projections of each finishing member from biting into thesurface and not so wet that any grooves formed will tend to run backtogether. For most concrete mixtures, assuming dry weather conditions,the preferred time to apply a finishing texture to the surface occurs atsome time between 5 to 30 minutes after the concrete has been poured.

After the frame 20 is positioned with wheels 30 riding on forms 34, theapparatus is merely moved along the length of the pavement in adirection toward the freshest poured concrete.

Finishing members 38 are adapted to impart upon the fresh concretesurface a plurality of substantially longitudinally extending grooves,preferably approximately one-sixteenth of an inch deep.

the scope of the claims which follow:

to a smaller number of members of greater width'to obtain a higherdegree of uniformity in the depth of the grooves.

This is true because the poured pavement is not perfectly level andminor undulations are present. Therefore the wider each finishing memberis, the greater is the possibility that theseminor undulations willoccur within the width of an individual finishing member and cause avariance in the depth of the grooves imparted to the pavement surface bythat member.

The uniformity of the grooves formed by the individual finishing memberis also enchanced because of the limited flexiblity of the projectionsor bristles 39. The projections tend to flex upon contact and thereforeunless'there are substantial differences in the total weight of eachfinishing member relative to the adjacent members, or there are majorundulations in the surface pavement between the width of an individualmembenthe depths of the grooves made by each member 38 will besubstantially the same.

It is also important to point out that the apparatus of the presentinvention may conveniently follow the paving apparatus at a relativelyclose distance under normalconditions and at a similar rate of movement.This permits the user to impart a desirable uniform textured finish in amost convenient and timesaving manner without any substantial delay inth overall construction process.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as hereindisclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood thatother forms might be adopted, all coming within l. A cement-finishingapparatus for concrete highway pavements or the like comprising, incombination, frame means; wheel means rotatably mounted on the outerends of said frame means and adapted to move in a longitudinal directionrelative to the length of said pavement; concrete-finishing meansdisposed-along said frame means between said wheel means, and extendingacross the width of said pavement, said finishing means comprising aplurality of brushlike members extending downwardly below said framemeans; and flexible drag means independently suspending each of saidbrushlike members from said frame means for freely dragging said brushlike members across the pavement surface to impart longitudinal groovesto said surface. I

2. A cement-finishing apparatus for concrete highway pavements or'thelike, comprising, in combination, frame means adapted to extend acrossthe width of a highway pavement; a pair of wheel means rotatably mountedon said frame means in spaced relationship from .one another and adaptedto ride on the outer forms for said pavement; a plurality of separatedownwardly extending brushlike finishing members disposed in adjacentrelationship to one another across the width of .the

. pavement; and flexible drag means independently suspendingprojections, the lower edges of said projections engaging said 7pavement surface to impart the longitudinal grooves on said surface.

4. An apparatus for finishing the surface of concrete highway pavementsof the type'having raillike forms defining the width of said pavementscomprising, in combination, frame means extending across the width ofsaid highway pavement, wheel means rotatably mounted on the outer endsof said frame means and adapted to ride on said raillike forms, saidwheel means including an outer flange engaging the outer edge of saidforms to limit inward movement of said wheel means; and a plurality ofbrushlike finishing members including bristles; and flexible drag meansindependently suspending each of said backboards from said framemeansfor. freely dragging said finishing members over the pavementsurface with the lower edge of said bristles engaging the pavementsurface for imparting grooves in said surface and with the lower edge ofsaid backboards being raised above the surface of said pavement. I

1. A cement-finishing apparatus for concrete highway pavements or thelike comprising, in combination, frame means; wheel means rotatablymounted on the outer ends of said frame means and adapted to move in alongitudinal direction relative to the length of said pavement;concrete-finishing means disposed along said frame means between saidwheel means, and extending across the width of said pavement, saidfinishing means comprising a plurality of brushlike members extendingdownwardly below said frame means; and flexible drag means independentlysuspending each of said brushlike members from said frame means forfreely dragging said brushlike members across the pavement surface toimpart longitudinal grooves to said surface.
 2. A cement-finishingapparatus for concrete highway pavements or the like, comprising, incombination, frame means adapted to extend across the width of a highwaypavement; a pair of wheel means rotatably mounted on said frame means inspaced relationship from one another and adapted to ride on the outErforms for said pavement; a plurality of separate downwardly extendingbrushlike finishing members disposed in adjacent relationship to oneanother across the width of the pavement; and flexible drag meansindependently suspending each of said brushlike members from said framemeans for freely dragging said brushlike members across the pavementsurface to impart longitudinal grooves to said surface.
 3. The apparatusdefined in claim 1 wherein each of said finishing members includes aplurality of flexible, bristlelike projections, the lower edges of saidprojections engaging said pavement surface to impart the longitudinalgrooves on said surface.
 4. An apparatus for finishing the surface ofconcrete highway pavements of the type having raillike forms definingthe width of said pavements comprising, in combination, frame meansextending across the width of said highway pavement, wheel meansrotatably mounted on the outer ends of said frame means and adapted toride on said raillike forms, said wheel means including an outer flangeengaging the outer edge of said forms to limit inward movement of saidwheel means; and a plurality of brushlike finishing members including abackboard provided with a plurality of outwardly extending bristles; andflexible drag means independently suspending each of said backboardsfrom said frame means for freely dragging said finishing members overthe pavement surface with the lower edge of said bristles engaging thepavement surface for imparting grooves in said surface and with thelower edge of said backboards being raised above the surface of saidpavement.